


Getting To Know You

by nerdcredred, Ocelot_l



Series: Lifetimes [39]
Category: Atop the Fourth Wall, That Guy with the Glasses/Channel Awesome
Genre: M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-12
Updated: 2015-04-12
Packaged: 2018-03-22 11:39:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3727468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerdcredred/pseuds/nerdcredred, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ocelot_l/pseuds/Ocelot_l
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ninja has finally run out of excuses and is bringing Ted home to have dinner with the team. What will the evening have in store for them?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> All works can also be found at my LiveJournal page at http://bookishlady242.livejournal.com/
> 
> DISCLAIMER: We do not own the characters, the shows, or the people who portray the characters. This is meant as a work of fiction and is fair use. Please support the creators by watching their videos, letting the ads play, buying their DVDs and merchandise, and/or contributing to their Patreon(s). "Getting To Know You" is performed by the cast of The King and I soundtrack.

Ninja-Style Dancer had never been known for cracking under pressure. Stress was something that could be easily dealt with through deep, cleansing breaths, meditation, brisk exercise, and relaxing yoga, all things that the dancer made sure to find time for in his daily routine. Ninja needed many ways of relieving stress so that when he entered high-pressure scenarios, he could stand tall as a pillar of strength for those around him, assuring them that he could withstand anything thrown his way and come out on the other side victorious. In strength, there was serenity; in confidence, there was comfort.

That was why it came as quite a shock to Ninja when he found that not one of his usual relaxation methods managed to soothe his jangled nerves on one particular day, when the air in the apartment was filled with delicious aromas and friendly chit-chat between his teammates, and the dining room table, often covered with piles of comic books, film equipment, and various pieces of weaponry, was now shrouded by an elegant white cloth, shiny silver utensils, and crystal glasses that glinted in the light.

The reason Ninja could not relax on this day of all days, was that this was the day when Ted would be joining he and his friends for dinner.

Ninja spent all morning and afternoon grooming himself and the apartment. By the time the evening rolled around, Ninja could be seen darting through the air in flashes of black, making sure everything in the living room was spotless, while the rest of his teammates lounged around placidly as they waited for their guest to arrive.

*Linkara, 90s Kid, put that video game away! I will be picking Ted up within the next ten minutes and I expect this room to be thoroughly clean!* Ninja told them testily, standing right in front of the TV so they could read his card, but the two merely leaned to opposite sides so they could see around him.

“Dude, I told you, we’ll pack it up as soon as we’re done. I just totally need to show Linkara my epic Final Smash!”

Linkara grunted and pushed buttons rapidly on his controller. “You’re playing as Kirby, how the hell are you beating my Captain Falcon?”

“Probably cuz I’m awesome!”

*Is a video game seriously more important to you than preparing for tonight?* Ninja asked, bolding the letters on his card now to try and make them look more intimidating.

“Chill out, Ninja-dude,” 90s Kid said as he continued to mash buttons. “What are you getting so bent out of shape for? This place is totally clean and even if it isn’t, so what? Is Ted really gonna care?”

*The point is that _I_ will care.* Ninja shook his card, feeling impatient. *I want Ted to feel like he is an important guest worthy of visiting an apartment that is in pristine condition.*

“Ninja, we already waxed the floors, washed the windows, polished every shiny surface until it started sparkling, and vacuumed every existing crumb-which was a lot, thanks to the slobs who live here-out of existence,” Linkara replied, somehow able to see Ninja’s message without removing his eyes from the TV screen. “I think we’ve overshot pristine by a few miles by this point.”

90s Kid let out a small laugh, clearly surprised. “Duuuude, you did all that for this one dinner? Dan comes over all the time and no one ever goes to that much trouble to clean up.”

Ninja furrowed his brow. *Laugh all you want, but this is important to me. Even though you’ve met before, I still want you all to make a good impression.*

90s Kid scoffed. “Dude, you are majorly tense. Here, try some of these.” He reached into his pocket and tossed a baggie of mini donuts to Ninja, who snagged them from mid-air with two fingers before flicking his wrist and sending them right back into the teen’s lap.

*Are you seriously asking me to eat right now? Before we have dinner?*

“Uh yeah,” 90s Kid replied, eagerly digging into the bag with one hand before stuffing a few into his mouth. “Mmm, these are so totally radical! Dan made them and they’re seriously the best donuts ever! Eat one of these and you will find your chill for sure, dude.”

“90s Kid, don’t fill up on junk before dinner,” Linkara said, which only made 90s Kid eat more.

“I’m for real, these are totally good. Here, Linkara, try one.”

Linkara shook his head when 90s Kid offered the bag his way. “No thanks, I’m trying to watch what I eat nowadays. I know our team diet didn’t exactly produce positive results but I figure trying one by myself should be more effective.”

“It would be more effective if you combined it with some exercise once in a while,” Pollo, who was sporting a red tie for the evening, snarked as he floated into the living room and perched upon the back of the couch. “The only things you’ve been working out lately are your thumbs and your mouth.”

“Shut up, Pollo.”

Ninja sighed in annoyance as it seemed that no one would be taking much heed to his concerns, so he darted over into the kitchen, cautiously opening the oven door so he could peeked inside to see how dinner was coming along.

“Hey, hey, hands off!” Harvey quickly batted his hand away and closed the oven door. “It’ll be ready in just a few minutes, so let it bake! My signature Finevoice lasagna is always picture perfect, but it ain’t gonna be if you don’t let it have its privacy first!”

*Never mind the lasagna, what about the dessert?* Ninja demanded as he made a beeline for the fridge. Luckily Harvey was quicker for once and he jumped in front of the device before the dancer could reach it.

“Up bup bup, no peeking at that until after dinner has been eaten,” he reprimanded.

*Did you at least follow my instructions for how to prepare the trifle?* Ninja wondered, his eyes still darting to the fridge every few seconds. *It has many diverse layers that need to be assembled in a very precise order.*

“Oh, that weird French dessert? Nah, I scrapped that for something much more fun,” Harvey said with a wide smile. “Don’t worry, you’re gonna love it, I swear. Now you get back into the living room and just wait for the man of the hour to show up!”

Ninja sighed as he was pushed out of the kitchen but his attention was quickly drawn to Linksano, who was standing next to Boffo and talking. Normally this would have been a very common sight, if it weren’t for the fact that the scientist’s clothes were emitting a purple smoky substance.

*Linksano! What is wrong with your clothes?!*

Linksano rolled his eyes. “Relax, Ninja. I’m well aware that my clothing has been tarnished and I’m on my way to change, but Boffo was just telling me the most delightful anecdote-”

*He can tell you that later, after you’ve changed, now go!* Ninja shoved Linksano away and ignored his grumbling as he scrutinized Boffo. *I feel there is something I should be telling you to do, but you look perfect. Are you perfect? I think you’re perfect, but I don’t feel that deep in my bones you are perfect-*

 _Ninja._ Boffo gently rested his hands on Ninja’s shoulders and smiled calmly at him. _I’m not perfect. Neither are you. No one is. But despite this immutable fact of life, this dinner will still go on. Everyone will get to spend a lovely dinner with Ted and everyone will have a good time. So please, calm down before your stress makes you ill._

Ninja took in a few deep breaths and rolled his head a few times before he smiled over at the clown. *You’re right, Boffo. Nothing will ever be truly perfect, no matter how much I try to make it so. I’m sorry for acting so crazy, but I’m really very nervous.*

 _I don’t know why._ Boffo replied. _We all have very good things to say about you, Ninja, and I’m sure Ted does as well._

*You really think so?*

 _Of course. It’s the questions they will ask which you should really worry about._ Boffo finished with a playful smile.

Ninja buried his face in his hands. *I didn’t even think about that.*

Boffo couldn’t help giggling behind his hand before patting Ninja’s shoulder. _Don’t worry; everyone will respect your privacy just as much as they normally do._

Ninja rolled his eyes. *Yes, that’s precisely what I’m afraid of.*

Back in the kitchen, Harvey slid on his oven mitts before taking a large pan of perfectly prepared lasagna out of the oven. “There! Looks just like ma used to make,” Harvey said with pride, setting it on the oven rack to cool. “It’ll be ready to eat in no time; I just gotta let it rest for a bit.”

90s Kid, having finally finished his victory dance after beating Linkara, walked into the kitchen, sniffing the air appreciatively. “Mmm, I totally love your lasagna, Harvey-dude. You should make it more often.”

Harvey grinned, taking off his oven mitts and wiping his forehead with pride. “I’d love to, Junior, if everything I used wasn’t so darn expensive. But for once, the Kid let loose of my purse strings so that I could purchase the highest quality ingredients for tonight. He’s really keen on making Ted feel welcome here.”

90s Kid grinned. “Yeah, we’ll all do our best to make sure Ted knows we think he’s totally cool and junk. He’ll totally feel cool with you Harvey when he tastes your awesomely, amazingly stupendously hardcore cooking!”

“That’s mighty fine praise there, Junior,” Harvey said with a proud smile.“I’ll be sure you get an extra-large helping of-ah ah ah!” Harvey smacked 90s Kid’s hand away as it started to inch towards the pan. “Junior, I’m shocked! Buttering me up with compliments while trying to sneak some behind my back?” he asked in a mock-hurt tone.

“Aw, c’mon, dude, I’ve got a big appetite!”

“And I have a very big spatula!” Harvey told him, holding up the implement warningly. “Now shoo!” 90s Kid pouted a bit before giggling again when Harvey ruffled his hair fondly.

After packing up the Nintendo Wii in record time, Ninja stood by the doorway, rolling his neck slowly and wriggling his hands as he tried to dispel his nervous energy. After casting a quick glance around the room he pulled his teleporter from his pocket.

*I will be going to retrieve Ted now. I sincerely hope that everyone here will be on their best behavior tonight. I know we like to have fun with each other, but I really want things to go well tonight, so please help me make this dinner a successful one for us all.*

“Don’t worry, Ninja,” Linkara said, matching this concerned look with one brimming with confidence. “You know what kind of ship I run around here. Yes, I let everyone relax and goof off when we aren’t fighting, but whenever something important comes up, we work like a well-oiled machine to get things done. By the time you and Ted arrive, everyone will be fully dressed and sitting politely in the living room, ready for a night of good food and civil conversation. I guarantee-”

Linkara’s speech was cut off by a startlingly loud crash from the kitchen followed by a squeaky voiced 90s Kid crying out, “I-I didn’t do it!”

Linkara sighed. “-it. Don’t worry, whatever he did will be cleaned up before you arrive. Boffo, could you get Linksano back down here and tell him to bring his super-vac?”

 _Right away!_ Boffo honked as he rushed toward the stairs.

Ninja rolled his head a few more times before he nodded at Linkara’s insistent smile. *Alright. I’ll put my faith in you once again, Linkara. I’ll be going now, but we will be back very shortly.*

Without waiting to see what else might go wrong if he stuck about, Ninja pressed the button on his teleporter and was transported into Ted’s living room. He heard sounds coming from the bathroom and approached it, knocking quietly on the wall.

“Ninja?” Ted called out. Ninja knocked again, confirming that it was him. “I’m almost ready! Just give me a few minutes, okay?”

Ninja once again knocked in the affirmative before he returned to the living room and collapsed onto Ted’s couch. He sat tensely, his eyes roving around the living room as he searched for something messy to clean or tidy up. Unfortunately for him, Ted had become a bit better about cleaning his apartment, and there was nothing he could improve upon at this point in time. Ninja sighed and rested one foot atop the coffee table. He was on the verge of nudging the stack of coasters resting there when the door to the bathroom finally opened and Ted appeared.

Instead of dressing in his usual karate robes and piano-key tie headband, Ted was wearing a burgundy colored tuxedo with a black bowtie and matching cummerbund. His hair had been slicked back and his shoes were polished so brightly that Ninja could see his reflection in them.

“Greetings, Ninja,” Ted said as he moved to stand in front of his boyfriend. He seemed a bit nervous despite his desire to show off his apparel. “S-so, um, what do you think?” he asked, looking quite shy as he fiddled with his bowtie, obviously unused to wearing it.

Ninja was so startled by Ted’s change in attire that he nearly rolled off the couch; instead he got to his feet and scanned his eyes over the outfit quickly.

*Ted! I must say, I’m rather surprised. You are quite a bit overdressed for the evening, Finevoice is usually the only one who insists on dining in formal wear.*

Ted blushed and looked down, fiddling with his cufflinks shyly. “I apologize, Ninja. I can see I have made a fool of myself by over-preparing and I will make haste in changing.” He turned to rush back into the bathroom but Ninja settled his hands onto his shoulders to stop him.

*There is no need for that. I think that suit looks very striking on you, Ted* Ninja told him, smiling warmly to show Ted he honestly liked what he saw. *You look very handsome and I’m sure the others will agree.*

Ted let out a sigh of relief and finally flashed the shy, loving smile that Ninja liked best on him. “I’m so glad you like this outfit. I wear this suit all the time on formal occasions, since my mother would never approve of me being received by company without looking impeccable.”

Ninja’s eyebrow rose with interest as Ted shared that detail and though he wished to inquire more about Ted’s family, since the topic hadn’t come up much, he knew that they needed to hurry things along if they didn’t want dinner to get cold. *So, do you feel as though you are ready for this, Ted? My team is still thrilled to have you, but I’m afraid they are in peak form tonight.* Now it was Ninja’s turn to look shy and uncertain of himself. *If for any reason you find yourself uncomfortable, just let me know and I will find a way for you to make a hasty exit, Ted.*

Ninja couldn’t help his worrying. Even though he was now in a steady relationship with Ted and happier than he’d been in quite a long time, part of Ninja’s happiness had been dampened by the fact that his romance hadn’t gained the approval of the team yet. Ninja was very independent and didn’t let anything compromise his thoughts or principles on what he found important, but he considered the team to be his closest of friends and would not be able to rest easy about his decision until he knew how they felt about this matter.

“I’m ready,” Ted replied, reaching out to take Ninja’s hands, which he looked down at upon realizing they were trembling slightly. “Wow. I didn’t realize you were as nervous as I was about tonight,” Ted revealed before squeezing Ninja’s fingers gently.

*I’m sorry for not being the steady, supportive rock you’re used to relying on* Ninja apologized before he was tugged down into a gentle kiss.

“That’s okay. I actually feel better knowing we’re both nervous,” Ted said. “I really like getting to see all sides of you, because even your nervous side is cute, Shinobu.”

Ninja shuddered when Ted said his name and pulled him close, kissing him passionately for several minutes, before they both pulled apart, not wanting the situation to grow out of control.

“W-well, I feel much better now,” Ted remarked, his cheeks now bearing a rosy glow. Ninja nodded, also feeling suddenly more relaxed.

*I suppose we’d better leave then before this feeling dissipates, and before 90s Kid gives into temptation and sneaks some lasagna. Shall we?* Ninja offered his hand to Ted again, and the shorter man clutched it tightly.

“Yes. Let’s go, Ninja.” Ninja nodded, took a deep breath, and teleported them both back into the base.

Ted had barely set foot on the floor of the apartment when he was glomped by a beaming Boffo.

 _Welcome!_ He honked as he hugged Ted tightly. _We’re so glad you’re here, Ted! It’s so wonderful to have you joining us for dinner tonight! I’m so excited to see you! I’ve been wanting to meet you again for so long!_

“Gah!” Ted croaked out in response, not out of rudeness but because he was having difficulty breathing at the moment. Fortunately, Linksano quickly appeared and helped peel Boffo off his body.

“Boffo, dear, please allow the man some air,” Linksano playfully chided before he turned to smile at Ted. “Good evening, Ted. I am pleased to see you tonight, especially since this meeting is sure to be much more pleasant than our last.”

“G-greetings, doctor,” Ted gasped, still trying to suck in the air that Boffo had squeezed out of him. “Yes, I-I certainly hope our dinner is a pleasant one.” Ted offered his hand then. “I would also like to thank you once again for saving my life. I’m very grateful to you.”

“Oh, think nothing of it,” Linksano replied, though he did return the handshake. “I’m a doctor, it’s simply what I do.”

*We still plan to reward you very generously for your acts of heroism that night* Ninja told him.

Linksano’s eyes widened with interest. “A reward? Oh, no, I couldn’t, not just for simply doing my sworn duty as a healer. Although, I suppose if you were to insist, it might be a bit rude of me to refuse you. Er, out of curiosity’s sake, what might you have in mind?”

 _Linksano, they can’t tell you or it will ruin the surprise!_ Boffo honked with a smile.

“Oh. Yes, you’re quite right.” Linksano looked as if he wanted to say something more, but before he could get it out, Boffo grabbed Ted’s arm and pulled him over to the couch, where he flopped down right beside him.

_I was hoping we could take some time to get to know each other! Since you’re dating my best friend, I thought it would be wonderful if we could become friends as well!_

Ted smiled at Boffo’s enthusiasm and glanced over at Ninja, who was nodding in approval. “I would like that as well, Boffo. Perhaps if the four of us became close enough, we might even be able to attempt double-dates.”

While Ninja and Linksano blanched at the idea, Boffo clapped his hands in excitement. _Linksano and I would love that! Right, honey?_

“Uh-”

_Exactly! Now, Ted, tell us about yourself! I know you are an amazing fighter, but what else do you like to do? What are your likes and dislikes? Hobbies? Pet peeves? Favorite ice cream flavors?_

“Uh, dear,” Linksano gently interjected as he took a seat on the sofa arm beside Boffo, “this is a friendly conversation we’re having, not an interview.”

“It’s alright,” Ted replied, shooting them both a smile. “I’m happy to talk about myself. What I like to do most is fight and improve my physical abilities, as you know, which has led me to really appreciate for all things related to the art of pugilism and combat, really.”

 _Pugilism and combat?_ Boffo repeated, looking slightly dismayed. Ted didn’t seem to notice as he nodded proudly.

“Yes. I have a rather large extensive of books and movies about various martial arts from around the world, not to mention a very highly acclaimed library of Kung-Fu flicks.”

*Acclaimed? Really?* Ninja asked with a teasing expression.

Ted huffed. “I’ll have you know that Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky is considered the Citizen Kane of Hong Kong martial arts films.”

*Oh yes, I can see the comparison now. Kane’s enigmatic expression of ‘Rosebud’ is directly on par with the scene where the warden, seeing Ricky being strangled with the intestines of another man, says, ‘You’ve got a lot of guts’* Ninja couldn’t help teasing.

Boffo quickly covered his mouth in horror. _Japanese culture!_ He honked loud enough to make the other men wince. _Ninja says you’re a fan of Japanese culture, Ted! Why don’t you tell us about that now!_

“Oh, sure,” Ted agreed. Boffo removed his hand and smiled once again, looking a bit frazzled but mostly fine.

 _I really enjoy the cute little cartoons that come out of Japan, as well as the flower arrangement and tea ceremonies, and those adorable little origami figures._ Boffo admitted.

“That stuff is fine, but it’s more Ninja’s style,” Ted admitted. “I’m more interested in the amazing weapons which have been crafted there. Kunai and shuriken are my favorite tools, not to mention the variety of beautiful swords they’ve produced.” The longer Ted talked, the more his eyes sparkled; conversely, the longer Ted talked, the more Boffo’s eyelids struggled to stay up as boredom began to set in.

 _That was fascinating._ He finally honked once Ted had finished discussing the various differences between a kodachi and a wakizashi sword. _I would love to hear more, but I should probably go, uh, check on 90s Kid. He said, quickly standing up and heading toward the hallway. He might need help…putting the super-vac back into the closet._

“Why would he need help with that?” Linksano wondered, but Boffo was gone too quickly to respond.

“I hope I wasn’t monopolizing the conversation,” Ted said, glancing nervously to Ninja.

“Pshaw, you were fine,” Linksano said with a dismissive wave of his hand. “Boffo’s always ready to lend someone a helping hand, so he pops off all the time. Personally, I found your knowledge of weaponry to be quite fascinating.”

“You did?” Ted blushed happily.

“Yes, I did. That collection of yours sounds like quite a gift you’ve been given. And speaking of gift-giving,” Linksano paused to clear his throat before leaning in closer to Ted, “what was it again that you two were thinking of-”

“Duuuuuuuude, you’re finally here!” Linksano was suddenly shoved out of the way by 90s Kid, who was wearing a nice pair of slacks, a dark shirt and jacket, and missing his hat, though not his sunglasses,who then pulled Ted up into a friendly, less-intensive hug than the one given by Boffo. “It’s, like, totally rad to see you again, Ted-dude! We have got to start hanging more, for sure!”

“It’s very, um, rad to see you as well, 90s Kid,” Ted replied.

90s Kid pulled back, his gaze shifting to Ted’s outfit. “Whoa, what are you wearing? Where’s, like, your awesome kung-fu junk?”

“Oh,” Ted stammered, blushing a bit, “I thought I’d dress up for dinner. I-I hope I don’t look weird.”

“What are you talking about? You look great.” Ted and Ninja both looked up in surprise as Linkara appeared, with a fond smile on his face. “Please excuse 90s Kid’s bad manners – he’s not used to seeing guests who dress up for dinner.”

“What are you talking about?” 90s Kid asked in confusion. “Dan totally always wears an awesome suit to the table.”

“Yeah, the same suit he wears in every other situation,” Linkara muttered before he extended his hand to Ted. “Anyway, why don’t you come join us at the table? Harvey says the food is just about ready to be served.”

“Thank you so much,” Ted replied, enthusiastically shaking Linkara’s hand before he shared a pleased glance with Ninja. Everything seemed to be going well so far, though the night was still young, so the duo did not want to be too confident too quickly.

“It’s nice to see you again, Ted,” Pollo said as he landed on far end of the table next to a tiny silver plate and a cup filled with oil.

“It’s nice to see you as well, Pollo. I’m happy that you’re joining us tonight.” Ted couldn’t help crinkling his brow slightly when he noticed the items in front of the robot. “Are you, um, going to be eating with us?”

“No, I don’t eat human food, but Linkara set these things out for me so I’d feel more comfortable when you all ate,” Pollo explained. “Although I don’t know why he left me this cup since, as I’ve pointed out multiple times to him, I don’t have functioning arms.”

“You have something much better than that, Pollo.” Linkara placed a long crazy straw into the cup of oil and bent the tip toward the robot’s beak, a completely satisfied smile in place. “Bon appetite!”

Pollo stared at the straw before staring up at Linkara. “One day, I swear to Asimov that one day, I will-”

“Up bup bup, no threats at the dinner table,” Linkara lightly scolded, purposefully ignoring the unintelligible muttering that subsequently followed.

Just as Ted was about to sit down beside Ninja, he heard his name being called by Linkara.

“Ted, you’re the guest of honor tonight. You should be sitting here, at the head of the table.”

“Oh, th-thank you!” Ted replied, a bit flustered but also very pleased to have received such warm words from the man Ninja respected so highly. As he took his seat, 90s Kid turned to Linkara and chuckled.

“I never heard that rule before. Do all guests get to sit in your spot from now on? Cuz I’m totally inviting Dan over to be the king of the table next time!”

“Sure, you can do that,” Linkara replied, “although if he sits there, he can’t sit next to you, 90s Kid, which I thought you enjoyed.”

“Aww. Hmm, lemme think about it.”

While 90s Kid pondered over this most perplexing decision, Harvey walked into the room carrying an enormous pan of lasagna and distracted them all.

“I hope everyone’s hungry!”

Ted looked towards Harvey gratefully and eyed the food with joy, since he knew a delicious dish when he saw one, and this dish looked to be the best lasagna he had ever seen. Perhaps getting some food into him would also cause his stomach to stop flip-flopping.

“I certainly am,” Ted told him, rising from the table to greet Harvey properly. “Harvey Finevoice, wasn’t it?” he asked, reaching out to shake his hand.

Harvey set the pan on the table before gladly accepting the handshake with a grin. “That’s me alright, but please, call me Harvey. Great to have you here, Ted, and whoa-ho!” Harvey exclaimed as he took a step back to admire Ted’s suit. “Ninja was holding out on me about what a snazzy dresser you are! You other cats could learn something from this guy.”

Boffo made a mock offended look and honked his horn. _Do the suits I’ve worn every day for years not count?_

“Maybe if your boutonniere didn’t shoot water,” Harvey retorted smoothly, causing Ted and the others to laugh, which set him and Ninja more at ease. Maybe this wouldn’t go badly after all. “Please, Ted, have a seat and let’s dig into this before it gets cold.”

Ted gladly obeyed and Harvey finally began cutting into the rich, homemade lasagna.

“I’m so ready for this, Harvey-dude!” 90s Kid exclaimed, holding out his plate eagerly.

“90s Kid.” Linkara shot him a look. “Don’t you think our guest should be served first?”

“I-I don’t have to go first,” Ted said, not wanting to cause any tension among the group.

“No, it’s cool, dude,” 90s Kid said, pulling his plate back without further question. “Linkara’s right, guests should go first.”

Harvey ruffled the teen’s hair again. “Thattaboy.” 90s Kid smiled up at him and watched as Harvey began to serve. “There you go, Ted, enjoy. And here, Junior, I’ll get you next.” Harvey cut both of them a hearty portion of the dish and Ted busied himself with placing his napkin in his lap, straightening his posture at the table.

“So, Ted,” Linksano said as he poured dressing over his salad, “what line of work are you in? From your earlier discussion about fighting and weapons, not to mention the clothing I saw you in before, I would presume something in the field of martial arts, correct?”

“Oh, yes,” Ted replied. “I’ve been studying different types of martial arts for years and I’ve also recently gotten a job as a children’s karate instructor.”

 _You work with children?_ Boffo asked, staring excitedly at Ted once again. _If you’re ever looking for someone to entertain the children after they’ve finished practicing then please feel free to call on me! Or if you need tips for calming them down or cheering them up, or anything that they might need!_

Ted smiled and nodded, relieved to see he hadn’t offended the clown earlier with his overly talkative ways. “Thanks for the offer. I’ll be sure to keep that in mind, Boffo.”

“So, what made you want to work with kids?” Linkara wondered.

”Actually, Ninja helped me decide to do this type of job,” Ted admitted. “It’s thanks to him that I even received that job in the first place.”

*Nonsense* Ninja countered after setting his plate down. *You earned that job by proving that you are a hard-working, talented, dedicated fighter, Ted.*

“Oh...thank you, Ninja…” Ted blushed and couldn’t help leaning forward to rest his elbows on the table and stare dreamily at Ninja for a moment. Unfortunately, under one of Ted’s elbows was the pronged end of a fork, and the sudden weight placed onto it propelled the piece of silverware into the air before it plopped into the basket of rolls. Somehow the fork managed to land so that it stood completely upright, protruding from the topmost roll. Ted stared at the fork in horror, his whole body starting to grow sweaty, and he tried to babble out an apology, but to his surprise, the room was suddenly filled with laughter.

“Duuuude, that was a totally hardcore trick!” 90s Kid said, leaning in closer so he could peer at the fork in approval.

 _That was certainly quite a feat I’d like to master._ Boffo said as he pulled out a small notebook from his pocket and jotted the idea down for later practice.

“I-I really am sorry if I damaged the rolls,” Ted again tried to apologize, but he stopped when Harvey patted him on the shoulder.

“Don’t worry about it. These beauties aren’t so fragile that a little forking will damage ‘em.” Linkara almost choked on his drink before he shot the singer a warning look which Harvey cheerfully ignored. Ted smiled weakly at him before looking to Ninja, wanting to see if his boyfriend was angry, but instead Ninja was also smiling at him.

*It’s okay. We are all used to much greater accidents around here.*

“So Ted,” Harvey said when he finally took his seat, “we’ve met before, but we don’t know much about you at all. Would you care to share some stories with us tonight? Because I’m sure we’d all love to know just how you and Twinkle Toes became an item in the first place,” he finished, his gaze growing sharp and interested. Ted gulped when he realized everyone besides Ninja was also giving him the same type of look and he found himself wishing that he knew how to disappear in a puff of smoke like Ninja did.

Ted cleared his throat and gave a cautious glance to Ninja, who nodded, before he opened his mouth. “W-well, um, we actually knew each other for some time before we were properly introduced. I’m sure you remember the crossover produced between Linkara and the Cinema Snob of some prehistoric film?”

Linkara snorted. “Yeah, that’s one way of putting that movie.”

“Duuuude, are you talking about that one crossover from the hotel?” 90s Kid lit up. “That was totally awesome because that was the day Dan and I met too! Well, the second time we met, since the first official time was-”

“90s Kid, I believe Ted was talking,” Linkara interrupted, shooting the teen another look.

90s Kid rolled his eyes and shoved a forkful of lasagna in his mouth. “Yeah, yeah, sorry.”

Ted swallowed as he witnessed what seemed to be another tense moment but tried to stay on track, hoping his story would lighten the mood. “As I was saying, that was the day I first laid eyes on Ninja-Style Dancer. For me, the moment was...quite electric.”

Harvey gave a fond grin immediately. “Now that’s a man after my own heart. When you feel that spark you know you’re already falling head-first.” Ted felt a little encouraged at this and smiled at Harvey. There was something about the lounge singer which helped him feel calm.

“You were quite right about that. But sadly we lost touch and I didn’t hear from him again until this past spring. Well, I sort of stumbled onto him, I should say.”

90s Kid turned his head to Ninja suddenly, his face curious. “Ninja-dude, you knew Ted for that long and you didn’t bring him back here? Why not, man?”

Ted’s eyes went wide with alarm as he realized his mistake. “Um, well, actually 90s Kid-”

“I’ve been curious about that as well,” Linksano butted in, cocking an eyebrow at Ninja. “I thought that you and Ted were mere acquaintances until just recently, when you two-”

 _Linksano, perhaps you should just try to leave them be on this._ Boffo tried to interject, noticing that Ted was beginning to shake. _I’m sure they had perfectly good reasons for keeping quiet about this. Right, Ninja?_

*Yes. We had perfectly valid reasons not to announce our relationship* Ninja held up before he stared daggers at everyone sitting around the table, minus Boffo and Ted. *And no one will be questioning us about those reasons if they know what is good for them. Understand?*

Everyone nodded and hurried to shovel some food into their mouths so that they would not have make eye contact with the dancer any longer. Even Ted felt compelled to gnaw on a roll until he saw Ninja’s gaze soften as he glanced across the table at him. Even though he did not hold up another notecard, Ted could tell from his gaze that he was happy about the way the evening was unfolding. Ted was happy as well and he sent Ninja his most love-struck gaze, until 90s Kid leaned over and muttered to him under his breath.

“So like, is Ninja a good kisser?” Then Ted choked on his roll and had to turn away as he guzzled water to dislodge it from his throat.

Ninja shot the teen a death glare. *90s Kid...*

“I-I’m sorry, dude, I was just curious!” 90s Kid swiftly ducked under the table, fearful of what Ninja’s wrath would bring, but Ted waved a hand at his boyfriend to calm him down.

“I-it’s okay. I’m alright, Ninja. Please don’t get upset.” Ninja silently sighed before nodding.

*Alright, Ted, I’ll let it go tonight.*

Harvey arched an eyebrow. “You calmed down pretty quickly there, Twinkle Toes. You must be pretty sweet on this one.”

*Harvey, you are heading into dangerous waters* Ninja warned, hoping that the rest of the table could not see how red his face was growing.

“If what I saw in my lab is anything to go by, then Ninja’s fallen head over heels,” Linksano couldn’t help teasing. Upon seeing Ninja’s icy glare, he quickly moved to hide behind Boffo, who couldn’t help giggling with great amusement.

“Guys, guys, come on,” Linkara finally said, hoping to regain control of things. “Lay off, alright? And 90s Kid, get out from under the table.”

“I was just, uh, tying my shoe,” 90s Kid said in a sheepish voice as he climbed back into his seat. “I totally wasn’t scared of Ninja-dude or anything.”

Ninja was about to flash a warning that everyone at this table _should_ be scared of him, but since everyone began to calmly eat their dinner once again, he tucked his cards away and began to enjoy his meal as well. It really was quite a delicious dinner, so delicious that Ninja was too busy savoring the sweet tang of sauce and cheese to notice Harvey and Linksano suddenly exchange amused looks.


	2. Chapter 2

“Might I ask you, Ted, if you’re aware of Ninja’s incredible dancing prowess?” Linksano suddenly asked in as innocent a voice as he could muster.

Ted eagerly nodded in response, his eyes lighting up. “Oh yes, I am very well aware. Ninja’s amazing at everything he does, but his dancing is indescribably wonderful.” Ninja’s chest quickly puffed out proudly as Ted stroked his incredibly large ego. “I have learned so much about all sorts of dance steps thanks to him,” Ted continued happily. “I am truly lucky to have him as a dance partner.”

“How lovely,” Linksano replied, his tone still as sweet as honey. “I believe Ninja feels the same way…considering his last partner was an old, dilapidated mop he used to sashay around the kitchen with.”

While it was Ninja’s turn to choke on his dinner roll, Ted turned to the scientist in disbelief. “Is that really true?”

“Oh, I’m afraid so,” Linksano replied, his smile becoming Cheshire-like. “He would spin and dip and twirl and lift that decrepit bundle of strings so often that I’d find soiled strands of polyester scattered all about the apartment. I believe I even once caught him leaning in close to share a smooch with it once.”

*You saw no such thing!* Ninja shouted in red letters, his eyes flashing darkly as his face heated up even hotter than before.

“Aw, that’s nothing,” Harvey replied with a dismissive wave of his hand. “Once I caught our pal Ninja sneaking into the base late one night wearing a cocktail dress and a pair of bunny ears!”

While Ted brought his hands to his mouth in delight, Ninja glowered at Harvey.

*How did you know about that?! I did not sense anyone’s presence when I returned home that night!*

“Maybe you would have sensed me if you knew how to hold your booze better,” Harvey teased as he glanced back at Ted, seemingly ignoring Ninja’s death glare.

“Ninja’s asked Boffo and I to enact scenes from his favorite animated programs for him!” Linksano cried, smiling triumphantly when Ted’s head swiveled back toward him.

“He takes long bubble baths when he thinks no one else is home!” Harvey countered.

“He cries at cat food commercials!”

*I hope the both of you are still hungry, because I am about ready to shove those goggles down your throats. And yes, I said throats. I know that sounds impossible to accomplish but I WILL FIND A WAY TO ACCOMPLISH IT.*

Ninja’s completely flushed body started swirling with powerful energy that caused the tablecloth to rustle as if caught in a breeze and a chill to pass through the room. Harvey and Linksano exchanged another look, this time of terror, before ducking down under the table just as 90s Kid had done before.

Linkara sighed and reached out to put a hand on Ninja’s shoulder. “When I said no threats at the dinner table, that included you as well, Ninja. I know those two are being jackasses for some reason, but I’m afraid your vengeance will have to wait for another night.”

Ninja took in a few breaths before he nodded, the swirling mass of spiritual energy around him evaporating quickly. *You are right, Linkara. I do not wish to disrupt the party any further. Besides, revenge is a dish best served cold.*

Linkara shuddered. “I’m glad I’m not on the other end of that line. Okay, you two, you can come back out, but you’d better knock it off with the stupid remarks or I won’t hold Ninja back next time.”

“Thanks, Kid,” Harvey said as he and Linksano returned to their seats. “And sorry about that, Twinkle Toes. We were just pulling your leg a little, for a little bet we had going on.”

Ninja looked confused. *A bet?*

“Yes, we had a wager going to see who could tell the most amusing story about you which would make Ted laugh,” Linksano explained as he glanced over at Ted.

Far from laughing at these tales, Ted was now gazing at Ninja with fully formed hearts in his eyes and a warm fuzzy feeling in his chest. He still had his hands pressed over his mouth as he tried to prevent himself from squeeing like an excited fanboy. “So…cute…eeeeh!”

Ninja allowed his eyes to soften momentarily before he sharpened them again.

*Alright, I’ll admit that most of those stories were true. I’m only telling you that because I’m pleased to know that none of you won that ridiculous bet.*

“Actually, I did,” Pollo chimed in brightly. “So you two had better pay up.”

“You were involved with this too?” Linkara asked in surprise.

“But how did you win if you didn’t even tell a story?” 90s Kid wondered.

“I won because I bet that Ted wouldn’t laugh at any of their stories,” Pollo explained. “From what Ninja has told us about him, I knew he wouldn’t be that type of person.” Ninja couldn’t help feeling pleased with Pollo’s words and decided that this time he would be spared from the swift blade of revenge.

“Oh gee, Blue, it looks like I’m a little short on funds thanks to spending so much on this amazing feast,” Harvey tried to brush off.

“That’s okay, Harvey. You can just write me a check instead.”

“Lousy tin can,” Harvey muttered as he reached for his checkbook.

 _I’m certainly glad you didn’t try that type of bet with the two of us; since I’m sure I wouldn’t have been able to help from giggling._ Boffo admitted.

“Dan and I would have totally giggled a ton too,” 90s Kid agreed. “We have like a billion funny stories about each other! Like the time we tried to go camping and we fell in a giant mud puddle, or the time we tried to bake a soufflé and got cheese all over the kitchen!”

“I liked the time Dan dug up that old time capsule of his and tried to eat that burger from the 80s,” Linkara added with a grin.

“Yeah, that-wait, that wasn’t funny, dude,” 90s Kid said, suddenly frowning. “Dan got totally sick from eating that.”

“Aw, lighten up, 90s Kid,” Linkara said with a roll of his eyes. “Dan loves telling that story and we always end up laughing at him when he does. It’s funny.”

90s Kid looked as if he wanted to counter this statement, but instead he remained silent before forking another helping of lasagna into his mouth, still frowning a bit.

Everyone took this as their cue to continue eating and there was minimal talking for a little while as they enjoyed Harvey’s delicious cooking. Once he’d finished his salad though, Linkara turned his focus back to Ted.

“If you ever feel like you’d like to brush up on some techniques for your classes or your own personal training, you’re welcome to stop by when Ninja is giving us our training sessions, Ted. I’m sure the two of you would make great instructors for the rest of us.”

“I’d be so honored to attend one of those sessions,” Ted said, truly shocked that Linkara had extended such an invitation. “Although I really don’t think that I’m skilled enough to train fighters of your caliber just yet.”

“Eh, I bet you’d do a great job,” Linkara insisted. “I have a great eye for talent, if you didn’t know.”

“Dude, I thought you didn’t want other people to watch us train?” 90s Kid commented in slight confusion.

“No, 90s Kid, I said I didn’t want people who would only distract us from our goals to watch us train,” Linkara clarified. “But people who are actually useful, like Ted, would be a very welcome guests to our training sessions.”

90s Kid’s confused expression slowly turned into a more severe frown and he leaned back in his chair, looking somewhat tense.

“I-I really think I should just be an observer for now,” Ted insisted, not sure why he felt awkward so suddenly but wanting those feelings to vanish at any cost. “Um, so, uh, N-Ninja really loves talking about you guys!” he blurted out without thinking. Ted immediately realized that was the wrong thing to say as every pair of eyes at the table suddenly landed on him, and he tried to cover for it as soon as he could. “W-well, I mean, just the t-typical things one would share about their roommates. You know, trivial anecdotes and such.”

Harvey snickered, suddenly looked very interested. “Heh, so the cat claiming to be silent as the ballerina has a big mouth on him after all! What kinda stuff does he cough up about us?”

Ted felt his throat grow dry and his hands grow shaky as he tried to think of a delicate way out of this situation. “Uh, t-typical things. Y-you know how it goes.” Ted coughed and reached out for his water glass, attempting to quench his very parched throat, but unfortunately his hands were not cooperating with him at the moment and he knocked it to the floor, where it shattered. “I-I’m so sorry! Please let me get that!” Ted grabbed his napkin and dove to the floor where he could begin cleaning up the mess, and Ninja tossed a card onto the table.

*I will assist him. All of you talk amongst yourselves...stick to subjects I would approve of, if you know what is good for you.* While the team focused on picking up their forks and shoveling food into their mouths once again, Ninja approached Ted under the table, watching as his boyfriend picked up the shards of glass so quickly he feared he would cut his fingers. *Are you alright?*

“Yes, I’m fine,” Ted whispered back, although the way his hands were shaking revealed how he truly felt. “I-I’m so sorry, Ninja. I didn’t mean to say that. S-sometimes my mouth keeps running before my brain catches up. And I’m sorry for breaking the glass! I’m ruining the whole evening-”

*Ted. Stop.* Ted obeyed and watched as Ninja took the glass from his hands before vanishing the pieces into the ether with a flick of his wrist. Then he watched as Ninja leaned in close to him and pecked him softly on the lips. *Calm down. You are not ruining the evening. Despite a few…incidents we won’t discuss right now, it’s actually been going very well, so don’t worry about making a few mistakes.*

“I-I think it’s going well too!” Ted agreed. “This night has been really fun, Ninja! Aside from when I broke the glass, that is.”

*Don’t worry about that. Linkara can easily replace a glass. But I cannot replace you, Ted.*

Ted blushed and hugged Ninja tightly. “I can’t replace you either. I love you so much.”

These last words were followed by a chorus of ‘Awws’ and Boffo’s excited horn honks, and made Ninja realize that he no longer heard the sounds of eating. The card which he’d thrown onto the table suddenly showed the message *Do you think eavesdropping is really a good idea?* Seconds later, the clattering of silverware against dishes arose once more, and Ninja chuckled.

*I suppose we should return before someone else decides to join us down here. Just remember to relax, Ted. There’s nothing you can do which will upset me tonight.*

“I’ll remember that,” Ted promised. The two quickly crawled back out from under the table and retook their seats, acting as if nothing odd had occurred. “Sorry again about that glass,” Ted told them all.

“Don’t sweat it,” Harvey replied. “We might have made you a little uncomfortable before, so let us apologize for that. If there’s anything we can do to make you feel more welcome here, please let us know.”

Ted’s eyes suddenly glinted. “You know, I think I do have an idea,” he said, his gaze moving toward the scientist. “Tell me that story about Ninja wearing the dress and bunny ears!”

“With pleasure!” Harvey cried. As he began to chatter away, Ted glanced at Ninja and grinned cheekily at him. Ninja glared back at him but remembered the words he had just uttered about not being upset over anything Ted did that night. Ninja was always a man of his word, so he smiled benignly awhile mentally plotting out a full list of punishments that Harvey, Linksano, and Ted would soon be receiving.

*Alright, I feel that is quite enough* Ninja stated cooly after Harvey had gone on for a while. *There is still lasagna to be eaten, so why don’t you focus on refilling my plate, Harvey?*

“Mine too please!” Ted agreed, eagerly passing his plate forward for seconds. Once it had been returned to him, Ted took a large bite and sighed. “Mmm...” His eyes slid closed and his body began to grow warm, the flavors pleasantly overwhelming his mouth. It was indeed the best lasagna he had ever tasted, and Harvey couldn’t help grinning when Ted continued to eat almost ravenously.

“I can already tell by your face, I’ve got you hooked.”

Ted nodded, pausing to wipe his mouth with his napkin. “It’s very delicious, Harvey. I can tell you made it from scratch, with how fresh everything tastes and how meticulously the noodles are layered together.”

“You got that right. My ma taught me how to make this dish when I was just a tyke, so I know all sorts of tricks.” Harvey’s expression turned playful again. “So, now that you’ve tasted my wares, I bet you’ll agree that I can match up against Ninja’s cooking any day of the week, eh?”

Ted swallowed rather harshly, a nervous expression suddenly crossing his face. “Oh, um, I…your meals are undeniably delicious and this lasagna is probably extremely difficult to match in terms of taste and, um, appearance, but I…I feel that…you…”

“Harvey, come on, you’ve teased him enough,” Linkara suddenly interjected, shooting his boyfriend a playful glare.

“Alright, alright, I give,” Harvey said, reaching over to pat Ted on the shoulder. “Sorry for pulling your leg like that, Ted. I know that no matter how good my food is, you’ll always be on Ninja’s side first, and that ain’t a bad thing at all, so don’t be feeling guilty about it.”

Ted’s expression relaxed and he looked gratefully to Harvey. “Thank you, Harvey. I apologize if I have in any way insulted you.”

“Nah, you didn’t,” Harvey quickly assured him. “I’ve heard much worse around here, especially from picky eaters who won’t be mentioned-though one just happens to be sitting across from Junior there.”

“Hey!” Linksano piped up, looking annoyed. “I am not a picky eater! I simply enjoy my food to be prepared a certain way-”

“Or to be covered in peanut sauce,”Linkara teased, earning a small laugh from the group.

“You have some nerve saying that, Mr. ‘Chicken Tenders four nights a week’!” Linksano fired back.

“I don’t eat that many!” Linkara replied with a reddened face, eliciting even more laughter from the group. “Besides, 90s Kid is the worst of us all!”

Surprisingly, 90s Kid didn’t respond to this comment, since he seemed deep in contemplation as he nibbled on a roll.

“Alright, enough of this,” Harvey said, taking control before things possibly spiraled out of control. “It seems everyone’s about done, so we need to get started on those dishes before we have our dessert.”

Ted nodded, wanting the mood to remain calm as well. “I would be happy to help you with those, Harvey.”

“Oh no, the guest of honor does not have to dishes,”Linkara replied at once. “You and Ninja can relax while we take care of things. 90s Kid, come on, help me clear the table.”

The teen finally stirred to life and silently gathered up his plate and silverware before carrying them into the kitchen. Ted frowned slightly as he and Ninja watched him from the living room.

“Is something wrong with your friend? He seems less enthusiastic than before.”

*I’m not sure* Ninja admitted. *But mood swings are not uncommon among the young. Perhaps he has simply fallen into a funk of some sort. Hopefully eating dessert will bring him out of it.*

“Mind if we join you?” Ted and Ninja looked up as Linksano and Boffo took seats on the chairs next to the couch. “I hope you found this evening’s dinner to be satisfactory,” Linksano wondered.

Ted nodded, sighing as he felt the usual warm glow he experienced after a good meal. “I did, thank you. Everything was perfect."

Boffo swung his legs happily, unable to stop the surge of giddiness he felt flowing through his veins. _I’m still so happy you were able to come and join us, Ted! I’ve wanted to properly meet you for a long time now!_

Ted smiled and shot a fond look to Ninja. “I’ve been wanting to come and meet you all for a long time too, Boffo. It’s truly lovely to get to spend time in the place Ninja calls home.”

Ninja felt a flutter in his chest as Ted said these words, but he merely coughed and turned his head away slightly. *There’s no need to make such a fuss over things. I’m sure you will be over for dinner many more times, Ted.*

“He’d better be!” Linksano chimed in. “We haven’t told Ted nearly enough amusing anecdotes about you!”

While the scientist cackled, Ninja’s eyes narrowed. *Why keep all the focus on me, Linksano? I have just as many anecdotes to share with Ted about all of you. Let’s see, there’s the time I teleported into your lab and found that Boffo had used you for face-painting practice.*

“You swore you’d never mention that!” Linksano snapped, his face instantly heating up.

*I believe you were a kitten-*

“Give me those cards!”

While Linksano began to chase Ninja around the living room, Boffo chuckled and patted a concerned Ted on the shoulder.

 _Don’t worry about them, they’re just playing around._ He honked. _I’m actually glad to see Ninja joking around like this. He’s been rather, let’s say, uptight, for a while, but lately it seems like he’s relaxed quite a bit. He’s less competitive and more inclined to enjoy time with the team, and I have to thank you for that, Ted._

“Me?” Ted asked in surprise. “Oh, I haven’t done much at all, I don’t think.”

 _You couldn’t be more wrong._ Boffo disagreed, his eyes crinkling warmly as he pulled Ted into a hug. _You’ve made Ninja so very happy, Ted. Thank you._

Ted felt a warmth he wasn’t used to spread through his chest as he hugged Boffo back. “I’d do anything for him,” he admitted softly.

 _So would we._ Boffo honked, his eyes twinkling brightly. Ted knew he could trust in those words completely.

“So, are you still thinking about attempting a double-date?” he wondered. “I promise not to bring up weapons or Kung-Fu movies or…any hobby of mine, really.”

 _No, it’s fine if you do._ Boffo hurriedly assured him. _Although I admit, it’d be nice to find a subject we both happen to have an interest in. Do you by any chance like magic tricks? Or juggling? Heartwarming family films? Star-gazing? Rainbows?_

Judging by Ted’s expression, the answer to all of those questions was no. Boffo sighed before smiling again. _That’s okay. As long as we both care about Ninja, we’ll always have something to talk about._

“Very true,” Ted agreed, watching as his boyfriend continued to lazily sprint around the room while Linksano huffed and puffed his way behind him. “Speaking of Ninja, shall we stop him before he wears Linksano out completely?”

_That would be for the best, I think._

“Alright, everybody, time to head back to the table!” Harvey announced a little while later, clapping his hands together in anticipation. “I worked long and hard on this dessert and I want everyone to enjoy!”

Everyone take their places at the table once again while Harvey approached them with a covered dish in his hands, before he swept the white covering off with a flourish.

“Voila!” He watched with pride as the table gasped and murmured happily at the sight of his painstakingly prepared tiramasu. Ted felt his already fully stomach somehow start to grumble with desire again one he laid eyes on the dish, and watched with glee as Harvey began to carve it. “Here’s a nice big slice for the guest of honor, and don’t worry, I won’t forget you, Junior.”

“Uh, just a little piece for me, Harvey-dude,” 90s Kid murmured, sounding tired as he leaned back in his chair. “I’m not feeling all that hungry right now.”

“You, not hungry?” Harvey teased as he handed a small slice to the teen. “What’s wrong, you overstuff yourself on the lasagna?”

“I have a stomach remedy prepared in my lab if you need it,” Linksano offered.

90s Kid shook his head and forced a weak smile. “It’s okay, dudes. Thanks. I’m just, like, not feeling it tonight.”

“Make sure you get to bed early then,” Linkara instructed as he took the plate offered to him by Harvey. “We’re training tomorrow morning.”

“I didn’t forget,” 90s Kid muttered, rolling his eyes behind his sunglasses.

 _This looks delicious, Harvey! Thank you so much for making such a scrumptious dessert to end our evening!_ Boffo honked as he eyed his slice happily.

“It was nothing,” Harvey said, although his beam of delight broke any illusion of him being modest. “This is just a little something my Nana used to make whenever we visited her for dinner. I can’t claim to have mastered the recipe the way she has, but I think my attempt ain’t too shabby. All right, that’s everyone,” Harvey said after slicing one final piece for himself, “so let’s all dig in!”

“Mmmm! This definitely isn’t shabby at all, Harvey!” Ted said as he savored the mix of bittersweet chocolate and buttery mascarpone.

*I agree, this is extremely tasty* Ninja added, smiling at Harvey. *I think you made the right decision switching to this dessert.*

“Hearing that you approve makes the effort worth it,” Harvey said with a laugh as he dug in as well.

“You really should bake for us more, Harvey,” Linkara said after taking a sip of his drink. “We haven’t had any desserts around here that were this good in a long time, especially not home-baked ones. I wouldn’t mind having seconds, or even thirds of this.” Linkara was about to take another forkful when he realized 90s Kid was glaring at him. “What?”

“Nothing.” 90s Kid began shoveling his tiramisu into his mouth and swallowed it within seconds. “I’m done. ‘Scuse me.”

“Hey, where are you going?” Linkara chided as the teen jumped up from the table and started moving toward the stairs. “We have company, remember?”

“Oh, that’s alright, I don’t mind if he leaves,” Ted said before hurriedly turning toward 90s Kid. “Um, it was really great meeting you! Maybe one day we can hang, like you suggested!"

90s Kid didn’t answer as he disappeared into his room, slamming the door behind him hard enough to make the windows rattle.

Harvey frowned and set down his fork. “Maybe I should go talk to him.”

“Just let him be,” Linkara replied, his expression now annoyed. “If he’s going to act like a little kid, he deserves to go to bed early while the adults finish up here.”

Harvey silently agreed not to go after 90s Kid for the time being, but he made a mental note to go check on him later on. He noticed that Ted was fiddling with his napkin uncomfortably and shot him his million-dollar smile. “So, some rough patches aside, I think this evening’s gone pretty swell, wouldn’t you agree, Ted?” Ted turned to him and as usual, Harvey’s smile boosted his spirits.

“Oh yes, I believe it’s gone well too,” he agreed happily, while lifting up his glass. “Here’s to sharing many more pleasant evenings together.”

“Hear hear!” Harvey toasted with him, winking at the man playfully. “You’ll always be welcome around here, Teddy.” Ted shuddered when Harvey said this and the singer blinked. “Sorry, did I hit a nerve?”

“No offense intended, Harvey, but I prefer to go by Ted rather than...that,” he informed them, looking as though he’d just swallowed something unpleasant.

Harvey didn’t look at all offended, instead shrugging, his grin back in place. “Looks like I’ll have to put some more effort into finding a suitable moniker for ya.”

“Harvey must be quite fond of you if he’s already giving you a nickname,” Pollo informed Ted.

*That is very true* Ninja reassured Ted. *Hopefully you’ll be given a more dignified name than mine, though.*

“What’s wrong with yours?” Harvey wondered. “I was trying to honor your dancing abilities.”

*Then why not choose something classy like Baryshnikov or Fred Astaire?*

“Oh you want classy, huh?” Harvey said, a smirk sliding into place. “Okay, fine. From now on I’ll call you after my favorite dance from ‘The Nutcracker’. How d’ya like that, Sugar Plum?”

Ninja blushed and glared daggers at Harvey. *If you ever call me that again, I will descend upon you in the night and make it so you never sing again.*

“Ooh, I’m shaking in my boots, Sugar,” Harvey teased, ducking quickly as a packet of sugar came hurtling toward his head.">“Well, not that we’re on our way toward wanton destruction, I suppose the evening is over,” Linksano said, rising from his chair so he could walk over to shake Ted’s hand. “I must thank you for spending the evening with us, Ted. It has been a charming and delightful evening.”

“I agree,” Ted said, standing as well to shake. “I am thrilled and honored to be a guest here-ahhh!” Ted’s words were cut short by another rib-crushing hug courtesy of Boffo, but fortunately the clown was able to pull himself back before Linksano needed to interject.

_This was so much fun! We have to do this again! You and Ninja simply must double-date with us! That would be wonderful! Linksano and I know so many restaurants to visit, or we could see a movie, or go dancing-_

*I think you’ve had enough chocolate for one night* Ninja playfully cut him off as he squeezed Boffo’s shoulders. *But we appreciate your enthusiasm, Boffo, and I’m sure we will find time in our schedules to spend an evening out with you and Linksano.*

Ted’s eyes suddenly lit up with recognition at this last and he turned to Ninja eagerly. “Speaking of which, Ninja, didn’t we have a reward for the good Doctor Linksano?”

Ninja nodded. *I had not forgotten. I believe now is as good a time as any to bestow it upon him.*

“My gift!” Linksano cried, his face lighting up at once. “Oh joy! I-I mean, I was only doing what any decent doctor and person would do, so there is honestly no need to thank me,” Linksano politely muttered, although his hungry smile and twitchy fingers disclosed his true feelings on the matter.

Ninja snickered silently beforehe began to perform several hand signals in rapid succession. When he was finished, a wrapped package appeared in his hands, which he presented to the scientist with a bow.

*For your bravery and quick thinking, Ted and I offer you this gift, Linksano.*

“I have a cousin who’s pretty high up the corporate ladder at a publishing house,” Ted explained, watching as Linksano carefully began to tear off the wrapping paper. His face lit up when he saw what it was.

“ _Undeniable_ by Bill Nye? Oh my, this is indeed the perfect gift for me, although I-”

*Look inside* Ninja held up, a smile already spreading beneath his mask. Linksano lifted up the front flap curiously and his jaw instantly dropped.

“Ninja was informing me that you are rather obsessed with this Bill Nye fellow, and when I heard that he had a new book being released, my cousin managed to find me a signed copy by the man himself!” Ted cheerfully announced, waiting eagerly to see Linksano’s reaction. For several moments, Linksano did not move a muscle, but suddenly he closed the book, very carefully set it down on the coffee table, and lunged at Ted, squeezing him in an enormous hug.

“Well I never thought I’d see the day,” Harvey breathed, shaking his head in wonderment.

“Youarethemostwonderfulmarvelousamazingpersontoeverdateamemberofthisteam!”Linksano cried out in one long breath as he squeezed Ted so hard that soon his face began to take on a bluish tint. Boffo worked quickly to pull Linksano back then, while Ninja rubbed Ted’s back as he gasped for air.

*Are you alright?*

Ted coughed before nodding. “Y-yes... yes, I’m... ackkk... fine...” he assured Ninja. “I’m just... so happy that... ackkackkk... you enjoyed the book.”

“I truly do,” Linksano replied, now looking a bit sheepishly at the martial artist. “And let me apologize for, um, growing too enthusiastic in my gratitude.”

“That’s okay,” Ted said, smiling as his cheeks returned to their normal pinkish color. “Despite what you might think, I’m tougher than I look.”

“It seems you’ve been rubbing off on me more than I realized,” Linksano murmured to Boffo, who giggled silently in response.

“Ted, it was really great getting to know you.” Harvey walked over to shake his hand as well. “I really hope you had a good time despite the, er, rougher patches of the evening.”

“I honestly did, Harvey. I just hope I didn’t do something to offend 90s Kid,” Ted admitted, looking slightly worried.

“Don’t worry about him,” Harvey tried to reassure the smaller man. “It wasn’t you that got him in a sour mood. He puts on a smiling face but things get him down just like they do you and me, so please don’t take it personally.”

Ted nodded. “Okay, I’ll try not to.”

“We hope to see you around here again, Ted,” Pollo said, floating up high enough to look the man in the eye. “You’ve managed to liven us all up, while mellowing Ninja out. Quite an impressive feat.”

Ted blushed and awkwardly patted Pollo’s head, since he had no hands to shake. “Thank you, Pollo. It was nice getting to know you better as well. I’m glad I could assist in your more lucrative endeavors.”

“You and me both!” Pollo agreed.

“That offer to come train with us is still wide open,” Linkara said as he took his turn shaking Ted’s hand.

“I’m still very flattered, but I think I’ll refrain for now.”

Linkara shrugged. “Alright, that’s your call, but when you do feel like coming, we’ll be ready to show you what we’ve got.”

“Perhaps I’ll give you a taste of what Ninja’s been teaching me as well,” Ted promised.

“Maybe one of these days the Ninja can finally bring you over again, for dinner, or perhaps a slumber party,” Harvey joked, causing Linkara to smack his arm and blush brightly.

“Harvey!”

“What?” Harvey asked, giving his best innocent look. Ted stifled a chuckle behind his hand and gave them one last wave.

“We shall certainly see. For now, I shall bid you good night!”

“Farewell! Come, Boffo, let’s put this copy with my other seven!” Linksano cried, grabbing Boffo by the wrist and dragging him up the stairs.

 _Good night, Ted!_ Boffo honked before hurrying along behind his boyfriend.

“Good night,” Pollo said before floating off as well.

Linkara and Harvey bid them farewell in unison before Ninja slid his hand inside Ted’s and teleported them back to his apartment. Ted instantly heaved a great sigh of relief, sinking down onto his couch. Even if he’d just experienced a very pleasant evening, it was still nice to be back where it was quiet and he could finally relax.

Ted glanced up when he felt Ninja settle down beside him and even though the night was over, his expression grew nervous. “So, um, I had a really good time and I really liked meeting your friends, b-but how did you think the evening went?”

Ninja stared at him before he smiled and pulled Ted into his arms. *There is no reason to worry, Ted. I couldn’t have asked you to do anything more than you did. You were charming, sweet, friendly, and most important of all, you were my beloved boyfriend. I am so happy that my companions now know how amazing you are, because I’m sure the words I’ve used to describe you pale in comparison to the real, beautiful you, Ted. I love you and I thank you for granting me this magical evening.*

Ted quickly wiped the mist from his eyes before he hugged back and brought his lips up to Ninja’s, kissing him deeply for several moments. “I love you too, Shinobu. I’m so glad I could properly meet the people who are closest to you.”

The two of them spent some time quietly kissing each other, hands roaming along each other’s body as Ninja helped Ted get out of his suit. “Mmm, but for as much as I loved meeting your friends, I much prefer being here alone with you.” Ted purred, casting a seductive look up at Ninja.

Ninja caught the look and smiled, scooping a now boxer-clad Ted into his arms and carrying him to the bedroom. *I also prefer it when we’re able to have our privacy, Ted. Now that we are here alone, I’m able to carry you into the bedroom, lay you upon your bed,* he continued, doing just that. *Pull you close.* He placed his hand under Ted’s chin so that he could lean in for another kiss. *And finally set my earlier plans into motion.*

“What?” Ted blinked when Ninja pulled back and realized that his wrists and ankles were tied to his bedposts. “N-Ninja?”

*I only said that I would not get upset at any of your actions while we were at dinner, Ted* Ninja announced pleasantly, beginning to skitter his fingers along Ted’s sides. *And now I’m going to have to ensure that you never breathe a word of that cocktail dress story at any other dinner gatherings.*

“Ack! Ninja, stop, wait-ahaha! I w-won’t ahaha say a word! Mercy please ahahahaha!”

While Ninja’s punishment continued on in various ways throughout the night, he was never once truly mad at Ted. In fact, he found himself constantly smiling and even giggling as he thought about how enjoyable the night had gone. Although his family was far from normal, Ninja loved them all, as much as he loved Ted, and although the evening hadn’t been perfect, knowing that the people he cared for most could get along in spite of their differences filled him at last with serenity and comfort once more.


End file.
